Pot-furnace



E. L. KNOEDLER.

POT FURNACE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 1, 1918.

Patented Aug. 10, 1920.

4 SHEETS*SHEET I.

WITNESSES E. L. KNOEDLER.

POT FURNACE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 1, 191B.

Patented Aug. 10, 1920.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

.L .M/V in I l a W Q i by .1 3

E. L. KNOEDLER.

POT FURNACE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 1. 1918.

1,349, 1 59. Patefited Aug. 10, 1920.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

WITNESSES INVENTOR E. L. KNOEDLER.

POT FURNACE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 1, 19m.

/ UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ELMER. L. KNOEDLER, 0F GLOUCESTER CITY, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR T0 WELSBACTI COMPANY, OF GLOUCESTER, NEW JERSEY, A. CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

POT-FURNACE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 10, 1920.

T 0 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ELMER L. KNOEDLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Gloucester City, in the county of Camden and State of New Jersey, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Pot-Furnaces, of which the following is a full, clear and exact description, reference being had to the accompan ing drawings, forming part of this speci cation, in which Figure 1 is a view partly in side elevation and partly in vertical section of a pot furnace embodying my invention.-

Fig. 1 is a detail sectional view of the same.

Figs. 2 and 3 are end elevations of the same, Fig. 2 showing the parts in their normal positions, and Fig. 3 showing the furnace in a tipped position.

Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view showing a portion of the driving gear for the stirrer or agitator.

Fig.4 is a plan View of the stirrer or agitator.

Fig. 5 is a side view of the same, partly in section.

Fig. 6 is a top plan view of one of the removable wear members of the agitator.

gig. 7 is a face view of the said member, an

Fig. 8 is a detail sectional view showing a construction of the outer shell or jacket.

My invention has relation, to certain new and useful improvements in pot furnaces, such as are used in the carrying out of certain chemical operations in which the material, or materials, being treated are fused or hi hly heated.

Ifly invention has been particularly de signed for use in breaking down monazite sand by heating it with sulfuric acid; but my improved furnace may be used for various other purposes.

Heretofore, in so far as I am aware, the pot furnaces used for this purpose consist of an iron pot set in a brick furnace; and after the material has been heated or fused it is cooled, or partially cooled, and then dug out of the pot and carried away for the next operation. In the treatment of monazite sand, as above described, the next operation consists in drowning the material in a vessel containing water.v My invention provides a pot which can be readily tilted to permit its contents to be discharged. In

its preferred form, it also provides a pot furnace in which the pot and its furnace are of unitary character and are hung on trunn1ons so that when the charge is finished, all that is necessary to remove the charge is to tip the furnace and pour the material directly into the drownlng tank, or other desired receptacle.

My invention further provides a pot furnace of this character in which the material may be agitated while being discharged, thereby insuring a perfect cleaning out of the material of the charge. Other objects and advantages relate to the provision of novel and advantageous features of construction and arrangement of the parts hereinafter pointed out.

Referring to the accompanying drawings in which I have shown the preferred embodiment of my invention, and which will now be described, the numeral 2 designates suitable stands or supports in which the pot furnace is trunnioned above the floor level. The pot furnace consists of an inner receptacle of iron or other suitable metal, which is preferably formed in a separate bottom section 3 and an upper section 4, the two sections being suitably fitted and bolted together, as indicated at 5. The top of the vessel has secured thereto a cover plate 6 having a hinged portion or segment 7 at one side. This hinged portion or segment can be raised on its hinges when the pot is tipped to permit of the discharge of the contents of the pot.

8 designates an outer shell which is suitably spaced away from the inner vessel 3--4. It may be formed of spaced outer and inner metal plates having a filling or lining of heat resisting material 9, such as asbestos. This outer shell or jacket is also preferably formed in two sections corresponding approximatelyto the sections of the inner vessel and which may be united by means of the opposed bolting flanges 10, as best shown in Fig. 8. By making both the inner vessel and the outer shell or jacket in sections in the manner described, portions of either may be readily removed and renewed without the necessity for throwing away and replacing the entirestructure. Most all of the wear on the pot is on the lower section and the burning of the outer shell is largely confined to the lower section. Therefore, it is of material advantage to be able to readily renew and replace these sections. It will be noted that these lower sections do not carry any of the other working parts. The outer jacket or shell has a bottom opening 11 through which heat may be supplied to the space between the shell or jacket of the inner vessel by means of suitable burners, (not shown) placed below the furnace. Any suitable baffle arrangement 12 may be placed adjacent to this opening 11 in order to properly dlstrlbute the heating medium around the furnace.

The upper portion 4 of the 1nner vessel is formed at opposite sides with the projections 4*.to which are secured suitable trunnions 13 which are journaled in bearings 13* carried by the supports 2. 14 designates a vertical shaft which s mounted centrally of the furnace in a suitable bearing 15 carried by a bracket 16 secured to the fixed portion of the cover plate 6, and also in the lower bearing 17 and stufling box 17 carried by said cover plate. The stufling box 17 serves to prevent lubricatmg oil from the bearing working down into the pot. The shaft 14 is connected wlth a stirrer or agitator located within the inner vessel and which may be of any desired form. In the drawings we have shown this stirrer or agitator as having a central arm 18 secured to the shaft 14 and the lateral stirrer arms 19 which are curved to approximately fit the interior wall of the vessel, the two stirrer arms being oppositely arranged and the stirrer being of general U-shape.

These stirrer arms are preferably somewhat curved; and in the preferred form of my invention are provided with removable and renewable wear members 20, one of which is shown in detail in Figs. 6 and 7. These wear members conform generally to the shape of the surfaces of the arms to which they are secured and they are shown as removably bolted thereto. To receive these bolts, the wear members and stirrer arms may be provided with oppositely extending oblique slots 21, thereby avoiding the necessity for exact registry of the bolting holes.

22 designates a hollow breaking leg or bar which is fastened to the under side of the cover plate and which depends within the vessel in position to act to break up any mass that might tend to form between the axis of rotation of the stirrer and the wings or arms of the stirrer. This breaking up leg is preferably made hollow so that a thermo-couple may be placed therein to act as a pyrometer.

The shaft 14 is provided with a bevel gear wheel 23, which is driven by a bevel pinion 24 mounted on a horizontal shaft 25 journaled in suitable bearings 26 on the bracket 16 before referred to. On the outer end of the shaft 25 is a large spur gear wheel 27 which meshes with the pinion 28 journaled on one of the trunnions 13, the trunnion being extended and the extension having a second bearing 13 between which the adjacent bearing 13* and the pinion 28- is located. 29 designates a belt wheel or pulley, also mounted on this trunnion extension and which is arranged to be driven by a belt'or any suitable source of power. The belt wheel 29 and pinion 28 are both loosely mounted on this trunnion extension and are preferably connected to each other by some form of safety device which will permit the belt wheel to turn independently of the pinion in case of excess load, such as might be caused by a stiffening up of the furnace charge.

In Fig. 3 I have shown the safety device as consisting of shearing pins 30, which unite the hub portions of the pulley and the pinion. In case of excess load these pinions will break or shear and allow the belt wheel 29 to run idly.

The opposite trunnion is provided with a worm wheel 31 which is engaged by a worm 32 journaled on one of the supports 2, this worm wheel forming means for tilting the pot on its trunnions. The worm may be'actuated either by engaging a suitable bar or wrench with the end portion 33 of the worm shaft; or said shaft may be provided with aworm wheel 34 engaged by a worm 35 connected to a sprocket wheel 36. The wheel 36 is driven by a sprocket chain 37 from a suitable electric motor 38 which may be placed on'one of the supports 2.

Means of any character, may

well known or suitable e provlded for automatically opening the circuit of the motor 38 when the pot has been tipped to its proper position for complete dumping.

The heavy tilting worm gear acts as a suitable stabilizer while the contents of the pot are being cooked and agitated and tends to prevent the pot from turning on its trunnions when the charges become stiff. It will also be noted that the strain of the belt pull on the wheel 29 is largely counterbalanced by the heavy Worm gear.

The products of combustion may be discharged from the heating space between the inner vessel and the outer jacket or shell by means of an outlet connection 39 (see Fig. 1) which, when the parts are in normal position, is designed to register with a suitable flue 40, shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1.

The fumes or vapors from the inner vessel may be carried off by any suitable connection. For this purpose, I have shown the pot cover as having an outlet connection 41' bolts are removed from the connection 41*. Any suitable form of detachable joint may be used at 41.

It will be noted that when the potis tipped in dumping position, the gearing and connection for actuating thestirrer or agitator move bodily with the furnace, thereby permitting the agitation to be continued during the dumping operation. This is an important feature of the invention since it thereby insures a complete cleaning out of all the material of the charge. Also, while the contents of the pot are being stirred, the pot can be gradually tipped, a little at a time, so that the charge is continually agitated and may be slowly and accurately poured out exactly as wanted. This is an important feature.

42 designates a pouring lip or gulde which is secured to the dumping side of the pot.

If desired, the bearings may be watercooled in any known manner. 43 in Fig. 1 designates a pipe for supplying water to the bearin 17 for this purpose.

In ig. 1, I have shown means wh ch may be employed for cooling the bearing for the gear 28 and pulley 2%). In this figure the shaft is shown as belng hollow,

with a T-coupling 44 secured in its other end. A water supply pipe 45 extends into one arm of this coupling through a stufling box or gland 46, an is carried through the coupling into the interior of the shaft. The heated water escapes through the connection 47 at the third arm of the T. This or some other water cooling isv desirable, as the bearing is not only subject to the heat generated by the pulley and gear revolving thereon, but also to heat from the furnace.

The advantages of my invention will be apparent to those familiar with this art, since it provides a pot furnace adapted for various heating and melting operations, which is simple in its construction and mode of operation, which can be operated with a great saving of labor, and by the use of which the operations are greatly facilitated.

I do not wish to limit myself to the par ticular construction and arrangement of the parts which I have herein shown and described, since it will be obvious that various changes can be made therein without .departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, as defined in the appended claims. Thus, the construction of the pot and furnace may be changed; other forms of agitators or stirrers may be used, the driving mechanism for the agitator or stirrer may be of any suitable character, other means may be provided for tilting the furnace, and various other changes may be made.

I claim:

1. A pot furnace, comprising a tiltable pot, means whereby heat may be applied thereto, and stirring means mounted on the pot to rotate therein about an-axis which is at an angle to the tilting axis of the pot, substantially as described.

2. A pot furnace, comprising a tiltable pot, means whereby heat may be applied thereto, stirring means mounted on the pot to rotate therein about an axis which is at an angle to the tilting axis of the pot, and actuating mechanism for the stirring means also mounted on the pot and operable in both the upright and tilted positions thereof, substantially as described.

3. A pot furnace, comprising a pot tiltably mounted on side trunnions and having a cover portion secured thereto, means for applying heat to the pot, a stirrer having a shaft extended upwardly through said cover, and actuating mechanism for the stirrer mounted on the cover and geared to said shaft; substantially as described.

4. A not furnace, comprising a pot tilt-- ably mounted on side trunnions and having a cover portion secured thereto, means for applying heat to the pot, a stirrer having a shaft extended upwardly through said cover, and actuating mechanism for the stirrer mounted on the cover and geared to said shaft, and also geared to a driving member mounted on one of said trunnions, substantially as described.

5. A pot furnace, comprising a pot tiltably mounted on side trunnions and having a cover portion secured thereto, means for applying heat to the pot, a stirrer having a shaft extended upwardly through said cover, and actuating mechanism for the stirrer mounted on the cover and geared to said shaft and also geared to a driving member mounted on one of said trunnions, said gear connection with the driving member including a safety device for breaking the connection under abnormal conditions, substantially as described.

6; A pot furnace comprising a tiltable pot, a heating jacket secured to and surrounding the body, and a stirrer mounted to rotate in the poton an axis at substantially right angles to its tilting axis, substantially as described.

7. A pot furnace comprising a tiltable pot, a heating jacket secured to and surrounding the body, and a stirrer mounted to rotate in the pot on an axis at substantially right angles to its tilting axis, said jacket having an outlet for the heating gases, and the pot having an outlet for the gases or fumes generated therein when heated, substantially as described.

8. A pot furnace comprising a pot having a top cover provided with a portion which may be opened to permit top-pouring from the pot when tilted, and also having a fixed portion, a stirrer within the pot having its shaft journaled in the fixed portion of the cover, and means whereby the pot may be heated, substantially as described.

9. A pot furnace, comprising a pot having laterally projecting trunnions on which it is tiltably mounted, a stirrer in said pot and havingits shaft at substantially right angles to the axis ofthe trunnions, means for tilting the pot connected to one of its trunnions, and means for actuating the stirrer carried by the other trunnion and geared to said shaft, together With means for heating the pot, substantially as described.

10. A pot furnace comprising a pot, having a top cover, means for heating the pot, a stirrer in the pot having its shaft journaled in said cover, and a breaking leg or bar depending onto the pot from said cover, substantially as described.

11. A pot furnace comprising a pot, having a top cover, means for heating the pot, a stirrer in the pot having its shaft journaled in said cover, and a hollow breaking leg or bar depending onto the pot from said cover, substantially as described. 12. A tiltable pot furnace, comprising an inner pot-forming vessel formed in sections meeting at a horizontal separable joint, pot mountings carried by one of said sections, and an outer jacket or shell spaced from said bod to form a heating chamber, substantial y as described.

13. A tiltable pot furnace, comprising an inner pot-forming vessel formedin sections meeting at a horizontal separable joint, pot mountings carried by one of said sections, and an outer jacket or shell spaced from said body to form a heating chamber, said outer jacket or shell also being in sections with a separable joint, substantially as described.

14. A pot furnace comprising an inner pot forming vessel, a heat retaining jacket or shell surrounding said vessel, secured thereto, and spaced therefrom, and means for introducing heat into the chamber formed by saidjacket or shell, said jacket or shell being formed in separately removable sections, substantially as described.

15. A tiltable pot furnace, comprising an inner pot forming body formed in two sections meeting at a horizontal joint, one of said sections only carrying pot mountings and tilting means, said furnace also having an outer jacket or shell spaced from said body to form a heating chamber, and also formed in two sections, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

ELMER L. KNOEDLER. Witnesses:

ALoNzo G. HARRISON, THOS. K. LANCASTER. 

